Tier



c. F. cRuMB 'TYER Filed April 23, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 13, 1946.c. F. CRUMB' TYER Filed April 25, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet S Aug. 13, 1946.c. F. CRUMB TYER Filed April 23, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 lu llmlll r rtAug. 13, 1946. c. F. CIVQUMB TYER Filed April 25, 1943 a Sheets-Sheet 513, 1946. c. F. CRUMB 2,405,683

Filed April 25, 1945 a Sheets-Sheet s Aug. 13, 1946.

c. F. CRUMB I TYER Filed April 23} 1943 a Sheets-Sheet 7 c. F. CRUMB Au..13, 194a,

' TYER Filed April 23, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patented Aug. 13, 1946 TIERCharles F. Crumb, Clarendon Hills, 111., assignor to InternationalHarvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 23,1943,-Serial No. 484,275

This invention relates to a tier. cifically it relates to a tier for abaler.

Many tiers have been developed for operation both with a travelingpick-up baler and with a stationary baler. Some difiiculties have arisenprobably because the bales formed are relatively large and unyielding,and the'knots formed have not been entirely satisfactory. n the otherhand, tiers associatedwith grain binders have been satisfactory becausethe bundles are small and yielding. The present application has to dowith adapting a tier of the type heretofore used with a grain binder foruse with a hay baler.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved tier.

A further object is the provision of an improved tier for a baler. V

Another object is to improve a tier of the type which ties by forming abight in a strand and More speintroducing a part of the strand into thebight.

l3lthrough a feed opening Ilia in a vertical side A still further objectis to adapt thistype of tier to a baler.

According to the present invention, a tier is mounted on top of a balerchamber of a baler, which has a conveyer for feeding material to bebaled through a feed opening in a vertical side of the baling chamber. Abaling strand extends around a bale along the top and bottom and betweenthe top and bottom of the baling chamber and has its ends presented tothe tier. The tier is so constructed that as the tying operationproceeds the tier moves downwardly toward the bale chamber to provideslack in the baling strand or th amount of strand necessary to produce atie without a pulling up of the strand around the bale.

. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a traveling pick-up baler to which theimproved tier of the present invention is applied;

Figure 2 is a side view of a portion of the assembly shown in Figure l;s

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure2 and showing the novel tier of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line l of Figure3; V

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken alon the line 5-5 of Figure3;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along 5 the line 6 of Figure3;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 1-4 ofFigure 3;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fi ure4;

Figures 9, 10, and 11 are enlarged perspective views of the bill-hookforming part of the tier in three different positions; I

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken along the line [2 of Figure 8;

18 Claims. (01. 100-20) Figure 13 is a sectional view similar to Figure8 but with the parts in a different position;

Figure 14 is a sectional view taken along the line 14 of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a sectional view taken along the line l5 of Figure 14;; and

Figure 16 is a sectional view similar to Figures 8 and 13 but withtheparts in a still different position. Figure 1 shows in plan a pick-upbaler to which the novel tying mechanism of the present invention isapplied. This pick-up baler comprises essentially a pick-up device I0, aconveying means H, and a baling unit l2 to which the conveying means I ltransfers material to be baled from the pick-up device It). Theconveyingmeans H com prises essentially a platform i3 and an openended auger I l.The pick-up baler is mounted upon a front truck 15 and wheels IS. Theauger [4 moves material to be baled over the platform ll of a balingchamber. The baling chamber has another vertical side IS, a top l9, anda bottom 20. A baling plunger 2| reciprocates within the baling chamberand is driven by a pitman 22, which is connected by a crank pin 23secured to and extending between two large gears 24 driven by pinions 25on a shaft 26. Secured to the ends of the shaft 26 are belt pulleys 21,which may with the aid of belts, not shown, drive the shaft 26 andthrough the various parts described cause reciprocation of the balingplunger 2| in the baling chamber. There is also provided a mechanism 28,which includes packer fingers, not shown, that carry material fromadjacent the open end of the auger l4 upon the platform I3 through thefeed opening into the baling chamber. This mechanism 28 is driven by acrank structure 29, in turn driven by a shaft 39 connected through agear box 3! with one large gear 24. The various features just describedare shown more fully and ar claimed in the copending application ofCrumb et al., Serial No. 466,460, filed November 21, 1942.

Driven by the shaft 30 through the crank structure 29 is a bevel gear32, which in turn drives a bevel gear 33 secured'upon a shaft 36 whichis driven by the gear 33. As shown in Figure 3, a shaft is in axialalinement with the shaft 34 and. is connected thereto by a clutch 30which is held normally disengaged. The clutch is not shown in detail,since it forms no part of the present invention. It is caused toengageby a toothed wheel 31 shown in Figure 6. As seen in this figure,the wheel 31 extends through the top I9 of the baling chamber intoengagement with a mass of material 31 within the balin chamber. Amaterial is fed. into the baling chamber and is moved to the right asviewed in Figure 6, .the toothed wheel 31 rotates slowly. A link 38 isbaling, chamber.

3 pivotally connected at 39 to the toothed wheel 31 and carries aprojectionllfl, which engages a pin ll secured to a strap, 42 secured toa rod 43. The rod 43 i slidably mounted in a bracket 44, and a sprin 45mounted upon the rod 43 resistsdownward sliding of the rod 43. The rod43 has an end portion 46, which, as shown in Figure 6,

as indicated by the arrow, and when it is moved just a little beyond theposition of Figure 6, it

acts through the projection tilon the link 38: and the pin 4| on thestrap 42 to pull the rod- 43 down sufficiently against the yieldingaction of the spring. ittocause a. disengagement of the end portion $5from'the part. This disengagement conditions. the clutch 35 so thatwhen. the shaft 34 has reached a predeterminedangular position, theclutch 3.6 is engaged so that. the shaft 34 begins to drive the shaft35. At this point, the rotation of the shaftv 35 puts into operation thevarious parts of the tying mechanism which are to be describedpresently. The various parts. described with reference to Figure. 6 areso arranged that when. a suiiicient mass of material 3'!" hasaccumulated in the baling chamber, the to thed wheel 3'! has reached apositionjust beyond that of Figure. 6 so that the rod 63 is disengagedfrom the part 41 and the clutch 36' is conditioned so that. upon thesubsequent arrival of the shaft 34 at. a predetermined position,theclutch 36 is engagedi .The clutch 36' is not engaged until thearrival of the shaft 34' at a predetermined posi-v tion, because thebaling. plunger 2 i must be at the proper position when the, variousparts of the tying mechanism, commence to operate. The various parts ofthe tyingmechani'sm must be properly timed with respect tothe plunger 2]so that when needles. to be described presently. carrying baling strandscarry these. strands. across the baling chamber, they may do so. throughslots in the. plunger. The'various partsj'ust described have not beenshown in, greater detail, since no invention is. claimedi'n thecommencement of operation of the tying mechanism automatically uponsufficient accumulation of. material. in. the baling chamben The. shaft35' is. rotatably carried by a support ing. means in the form. of alarge casting 48. secured, as indicated at 49', to the top .19 of the Ashaft 59. is also rotatably mounted in. the casting 48 and. is'idjrivenby the shaf 5 throu h a. sprocket chain 51 and sprockets. 512 and 53securedfrespectively tothe shafts. 35 and 59. I

As shown in Figures 1. and. 2, a pair of needles 55, only one'beingshown, issecured to a pipe 55 which in turn is secured to arms. 56pivoted at 5! on the sides l! and [8 of thebaling. chamber. Theposition. of the needle sols controlled by a cam. EB-secured upon theshaftSEi The. cam 58 has. a, track 59 in which is a follower 68 securedto a lever 61 pivoted at 62 upon. a member 63 secured to the castin 4.8.The lever GI is connected at E54. with an adjustable linkfiSZpivotallyconnected at 66 with the armjfi'.

s sh w uresv .8. and. 16,. there'is pivotallymounted upon. the shaft5ila pair of knotter frames 61.. To eachknotter frame 61 is' secured aU-shaped piece. 68, and these pieces are interconnected by a strap 69.L-shaped,

brackets 19 are secured to the strap 69 on the;

U.-shaped pieces 58,, and carried between them is,

a pm if upon whi'ch'is pivotedasleeve member 72 having a transversetubular portion'73, which receives adjustably a threaded rod 14pivotally connected at '15 between, a pair of pieces 76. The pieces '18are pivotally supported by a bolt 11 on two brackets 18 secured to thecasting 48. The pieces 16 carry between them on a bolt 18 a follower ?9,which engages a cam 88 secured upon the shaft 35. The cam acting throughthe pieces H3 and the rod M determines the angular position of thecastin 61 about the shaft 58. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, springs 80connected at their ends to the bolt 71 and the strap es, exert an upwardpull on the castings 67 and keep the follower 19 in contact with the cam80. A comparison of Figures 8, l3, and 16 will show the position of thecastings 5'! in one figure to b different from those of the otherfigures;

Secured to the shaft 56 is a pair of members 81', each having a toothedsegment 82 and av toothed segment 83., Wheneach member 81 reaches theproper angular position, the toothed segment 82" engages a bevel gear 86secured to shaft 85 journaled in the knotter frame 61. As seen in Figure4, the shaft 35 has a worm 86 at. one end engaging and driving awormwheel 8? to which is connected by a shaft section, not shown, a pair ofspaced plates 83 having peripheral notches 89. Rotation of the member 3!upon engagement of the toothed segment 8.2 with the bevel gear 84'causesan angular movement of the notched plates 83. As seen'inFigures 8 and12-, a plate 98 ofconsiderab-ly smaller diameter than the notched plates88 is positioned between them and holds them in spaced relation. Agenerally Ueshaped member 9i extends into the space between the plates88 and substantially embraces one-half of the periphery of the plate90,. As seen in Figure 15, the U-shaped'. member the notched plates 68'.Said member is pivoted to the knotter frame as shown in Figure 16. Y

When'the member 85 has rotated sufficiently, the toothed section 83engages a pinion 98 to which a bill-hook E4 is secured by a stub shaftnot shown. The bill-hook 94 comprises a fixed part 85, which is directlysecuredto the stub shaft not shown and a part 96 pivotally mounted inthe part so as tobe movable with respectthereto. The bill-hook 84rotates in a portionfli of the knotterframe 67-, which has a cam surface98 engaging a follower 99 on the movable, part 96 of the bill-hook 9%.It will be seen from a comparison of Figures 9.1-6; and 11 that as thebill-hook rotates, the parts 9.5 and 9,6 are first closed as shown inFigure 9, then are; opened as shown in Figure 10, and then are closed asshown in Figure 11. This is'due to the riding of the follower 99 uponthe cam 98.

The rotating member 8-] has a camtrack I83 engaged by a follower" Hit onone end of an L- shaped member I02 pivoted at l'fifi in theknotterframe, as shown in Figures 4 and 8. The other endof the L-shaped member)2 has an upstanding portion H32, which carries a knife HM. As. themember 85 rotates; and the follower lOl moves out from the shaft 58because of. the increase in the spacing of the cam track H10 from thebaling chamber.

I01 by the one piece 106 is a triangular member 5 the shaft 59-, theknife "lil i'moves outwardly toward the observer in Figures 8, 13, and16.

Figure 7 shows a portion of the top P9 of the I68 to which is connecteda rod I09 connected in turn to the lower end of a link H0, as shown inFigures 5 and 7. The upper end of the link H is pivotally connected atill to a member H2 secured to the casting 4B. A follower I I3 engages acam H4 upon the shaft 58. The other tucker It! is connected through theother member I06 to a part I08 which is connected by a link H with thetriangular part ma- Thus the tuckers I01 pivot conjointly. As the cam II4 rotates with the shaft 50, the lower end of the link H0 moves backand forth and the tuckers move back and forth across the openings Hi5.

In operation, material to be baled is fed through the'feed opening inthe vertical side I! of the baling chamber, and the plunger 2| movesback and forth compressing the material to a mass, as shown at 3'5. When'suificient material has accumulated fora bale, the toothed wheel 31will have reached a position which will have caused the rod 43 to bepulled downwardly sufficientl for disengagement of the end portion 56from the part 47. When this has taken place, the clutch 36 will be soconditioned that upon arrival of the shaft 34 at a predetermiend angularposition, the clutch 36 will become engaged so as to transmit therotation of the shaft 34 to the shaft 35. The beginning of rotation ofthe shaft 35 starts the operation of the tying mechanism. Thepredetermined angular position of the shaft 34 at which the operation ofthe tying mechanism starts is determined by the extreme right-handposition of the baling plunger 2! of Figure 5. The baling plunger?! hasslots H6 through which the needles 54 are projected out of contact withthe mass of-material 31 being baled.' As seen in Figures 1, 2, and 5, apair of bal'ing strands li'l extends from balls or other accumulationsthereof in containers ll'l through guides Ill on arms 56, and along andwithin needles 54. As shown for one needle 54 in Figure 5, the strandIll extends from the needle near the end thereof over a roller I [8 atthe bottom 29 of the baling chamber, then longitudinally of the balingchamber along the bottom 20, then vertically upwardly across the balingchamher to the top l9, then along the under side of the top of thebaling chamber, then upwardly out of the baling chamber through one slotH in the top of the baling chamber. As shown in Figure 12, the balingstrand H7 terminates in an end portion H9 extending into a notch 89 inthe plates 83 across the top plate 88 and into another notch 89 in thetop plate 88 and between the top plate and the member 92 as to be heldtherebetween. The initial anchoring of the strand between the plates 88is effected by the operator when the machine is threaded by theoperator. When the shaft starts to rotate, the cam 53 rotates with itand causes the needles 5lt0 be moved from the position shown in Figure 5upwardly through the slots H6 in the baling plunger 2! and the slots I05in the top l9 oi-the. baling chamber to the elevated position of Figure13. The lbaling strand l i! will have been introduced into one of thesame sets of notches 89 in the plates 88 as the held end H9 of thestrand is positioned. This is shown in Figure 12. While the needles 54have been moving to'their elevated position, the member Bl has rotatedto bring the toothed segments 82 and 83 from the position of Figure 8 tothat of Figure 13. Upon contact of the toothed segment 82 with the bevelgear 84, the gear 84 rotates and causes angular movement of the notchedplates 88. Thus they move from the position of Figure 12 to that ofFigure 14, which shows the end portion H9 and the other part of thestrand Il'i introduced by the needle 54 to be clamped by the plates 88and the member 92, as shown in Figure 15. Then the toothed segment 83enages the pinion 93 causing it and the bill-hook 94 to rotate. The camHe will, in the meantime, have moved the tuckers I91 across the slotsH35 in the top is of the baling chamber so as to cause the portion ofthe baling strand below the bill-hook at to be offset from a portionabove the bill hook, as shown in Figures 9 and 13.

Thus the continued rotation of the bill-hook from the position of Figure9 to that of Figure 10 causes the formation of a bight I20 about thebill-hook 94. Through this movement, the cam as acting on the follower99 on the movable part of the bill-hook 9! will have caused the parts ofthe bill-hock to have spread to receive between them a portion l2! ofthe baling strand Ill so that this portion l2! may be retained in thebaling hook, as shown in Figure 11. Then the cam track 560 in the member8! will have reached such a position'as to cause the knife 34 to swingforwardly. toward the observer to the position of Figure 16, in whichthe knife EM engages the baling strand so as to sever it, the cuttingforce being applied in a direction acting to pull the bight I29 off thebill-hook 9 5. The portion l2! retained between the members and E5 ofthe bill-hook 94 will be pulled through the bight I20 so that a tieisformed. As the knife I04 severs the strand and as the bight is movedoh? the hook 9 3, the knotter frame 61 and the tying mechanism carriedthereby are .moving upwardly after having reached a lowermost position.

A significant and novel feature of the present application is thatduring the rotation of the bill-hook 94 to form the bight I28, thevarious parts mounted upon the knotter frame 6! will have moveddownwardly toward the baling chamber, as will. be evident from acomparison of Figures 8, 13, and 16, which show progressively thevarious positions assumed during formation of a knot which will bereferred to as a knot tying operation. The knotter frames 6'! are moveddownwardly, because the cam 83 rotates and thus causes the plates 16 toswing and force downwardly the rod l4 connected to the knotter frames6'! and with it the knotter' frames '61. The downward movement of theknotter frames, of course, brings the similar downward movement of thestrand-holding means comprising.

tical side of the baling chamber.

greases 7. operation compensates -f.orthe portions of the strands takenup in the tying operation and makes available sufficient length ofstrand to provide: the material of the knot. Thus undue tension on thestrands or breaking thereof, which would be caused by the taking upofthe strands without slack providing movement of the knottying mechanism,is avoided. It is very desirable that a uniform tension be maintained onthe strands throughout. the tying operation, and a lowering of the tyingparts will bring this about.

In. a. broader sense, the tying parts have a movement, with respect tothe baling chamber during the tying operation.

During the knot-tying operation, the: needles 54 will. have withdrawn tothe position of Figurein which they are below the 'baling chamher. Whenthe shafit 35 has completed one revolution, a cam. lZZ secured. theretoand engaging a: follower I23 on a plate 1:24 pivotally mounted at. I24on the casting 681 and pivotally connected by a bolt I25 to the upperend of the link 38: in a slot I26 thereof, will have presented a highportion I21 to the follower I23 and will thus have: brought the plateI24 to the dotted-line position of Figure 6'. This causes the projection40 upon the link 38 to be disengaged from the pin. 49 on the strap. 4.2.sov that the end portion 46 of therod 43 may become reengaged with thepart 41:, whereby the clutch 3B is disengaged and the shaft 35 is. nolonger rotated. A low portion I28 on the cam I22 immediately adjacentthe high spot 121 permits return of. the link as to the full lineposition of Figure. 6, in which: the projection Ml'reengages the pin 4 lThus the various parts of the tying. mechanism. are stopped untilsuflicient material has again accumulated in. the baling chamber forthe: toothed wheel. 3's to have reached. the previously describedpredetermined position for again conditioning the clutch 362501.engagement;

It has been stated that there is novelty in the bringing of the variousparts of the tying mechanism toward the baling chamber during thelmot-tying or knot-forming operation so that proper slack may beprovided in the strand; being tied. Such shifting of the. parts. ofcourse, or special. value with a. tier like that shown which ties byforming a bight and introducing another part of. the strand into thebight', since. a. fair amount oi length of strand is required. It;should.

be obvious that the arrangement for shifting the tying mechanism mayalso be applied to other types. of tying mechanisms. The arrangement isparticularly applicable to abaler, because. abale is relativelyuncompressible, and will not easiiy provide for taking up. of the.strand for tying, in contrast with a. bundle of grain which. is looseand yieldable. The drawings illustrate the tier is applied. to a.traveling pick-up baler having a feed. opening in. a vertical side of.the baling chamber. The invention is applicable to various types ofbalers regardless of whether they are of the In the claims and inthespecification the term strand has beenused, and it is intended thatit describe broadly all forms of. tying material, such as cord, string,wire, rope, bands, etc.

The intention is to limit the invention only within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is: V

1-. In combination, supporting means, means forming a balin-g chamberassociated. with said supporting means, a plunger mounted for reciprocation in the baling, chamber, means for grasping portions of the endsof a strand extending around a bale in the baling chamber in. the formof a loop, a bill-hook formedof two relatively movable parts and beingoperative to rotate to form a bight. in the ends of the strand inwardlyof the grasped portions thereof, to spread the parts to receive portionsof the ends of the strand, and to close the parts to retain the.last-mentioned portions, a tie being subsequently formed by sliding ofthe bight off the bill-hook and retaining of the portions between. theparts of the bill-hook, means mounting the grasping means and thebill-hook on the supporting means for joint movement toward and awayfrom the baling chamber, and means for moving. the. grasping means andthe bill-hook toward the baling chamher during rotating of thebill-hook;

2. In combination, means forming a baling chamber having a top, abottom, and vertical sides, a. plunger mounted for reciprocation in thebaiing chamber, means above the top of the baling chamber for. grasping.portions of the ends of v the strands and the tie-forming means to formthe tie, and. means for moving the grasping means and the tie-formingmeans downwardly toward the top of the baling chamber during the form'-ing, of the tie to provide uniform tension in the strand.

3. In combination, means forming a baling chamber having a top, abottom, and vertical sides, a plunger mounted for reciprocation in thebaling chamber,strand-grasping means adjacent said bill-hook operativeto grasp the ends of a strand extending; around a bale in said baling,

traveling type and have: a feed opening in aver-' Moreover, theinvention. is not to be considered as limited to a, tier for bales,because obviously it maybe. just. as well applied to tying. for otherpurposes;

It is also believed to be novel to mount the tying mechanism forlowering during the. tying operationupon the top of: a baling chamber.will have special use with. a. baler in which matenial is fed by atransverse. conveyor into the baling chamber through a feed opening inavertn cal side thereof.

chamber, a bill-hook formed of two relatively movable parts mountedabove. the top of the baling chamber and being operative to rotate andengage the strand to form a bight inv the ends of" the strand inwardlyof" the grasped portions thereof, to spread the parts to receiveportions of. the ends of the strand, and to close the parts to retainthe last-mentioned portions, a tie being subsequently formed. by slidingof the bight.

on", the bill-hook and retaining of the portions between the. parts ofthe bill-hook, means mount.- ing the grasping means and the bill-hookfor conjoint vertical movement toward and away from. the top of thebaling chamber,v and means for moving the grasping means and thebill-hook. downwardly toward the baling chamber during rotating; of thebill-hook.

4. In combination, means forming a baling chamber extending in a certaindirection and having a top, a bottom, vertical sides, and a feed openingin, one vertical side, a baling plunger mounted in the baling chamberfor reciprocation in the said certain direction, means associated withthe baling chamber for feeding vertically across the baling chamber fromthe bottom thereof to the top a baling strand extending around a mass tobe baled from a grasped end at the top of the baling chamber along thetop of the baling chamber, then vertically across the baling chamber,andthen along the bottom thereof,.means for tying the grasped end of thebaling strand and the portion of the baling strand fed across the balingchamber including knot-forming means utilizing a substantial length ofstrand during a tying operation, means mounting the tying means forvertical movement toward and away from the top of the baling chamber,and means for causing the tying means to move vertically toward the topof the baling chamlzer during a tying operation of the tying means.

5. In combination, means forming a baling chamber extending in a certaindirection and having a top, a bottom, vertical sides, and a feed openingin one vertical side, a baling plunger mounted in the baling chamber forreciprocation in the said certain direction, means associated with thebaling chamber for feeding vertically across the baling chamber from thebottom thereof to the top a baling strand extending around a mass to bebaled from a grasped end at the top of the baling chamber along the topof the baling chamber, then vertically across the baling chamher, andthen along the bottom thereof, means already grasping the grasped end ofthe baling strand and adapted to grasp a portion of the baling strandfed across the baling chamber by the feeding means, means for forming atie in the baling strand inwardly toward the mass to be baled from thegrasped parts of the baling strand said tying means includingknot-forming means utilizing a substantial length of strand during atying operation, means mounting the tying means and the grasping meansfor conjoint vertical movement toward and away from the top of thebaling chamber, and means for moving the grasping means and the tyingmeans toward the top of the bale chamber during a tying operation.

6. In combination, means forming a baling chamber extending in a certaindirection and having a top, a bottom, vertical sides, and a feed openingin one vertical side, a baling plunger mounted in the baling chamber forreciprocation in the said certain direction, means associated with thebaling chamber for feeding vertically across the baling chamber from thebottom thereof to the top a baling strand extending around a mass to bebaled from a grasped end at the top of the baling chamber along the topof the baling chamber, then vertically across the baling chamher, andthen along the bottom thereof, means already grasping the grasped end ofthe baling strand and adapted to grasp a portion of the baling strandfed across the baling chamber by the feeding means, a bill-hook formedof two relatively movable parts and being operative to rotate to form abight in the portions of the strand in-- wardly of the grasped partsthereof, to spread the parts to receive sections of the baling strandand to close the parts to retain the sections of the baling strand, atiebeing subsequently formed by sliding of the bight off the bill-hookand retaining of the sections between the parts of the bill-hook, meansmounting the grasping means and the billhook on the baling chaniber forjoint vertical movement. toward and away therefrom, and

means for moving the grasping means and the bill-hook vertically towardthe baling chamber during rotating of the bill-hook.

. 7. In combination, means forming a baling chamber, a plunger mountedfor reciprocation in the baling chamber, means for grasping portions ofthe ends of the baling strand extending around a bale in the balingchamber in the form of a loop, means for forming a tie in the ends ofthe strand inwardly of thegrasped portions thereof by form ing a bightin the ends of the strand, introducing portions of the ends into thebight, and severing the ends'of the strand between the grasped portionsand the bight, and means for moving the tying means toward the balingchamber during forming of the bight. 1

8. In combination, means forming a baling chamber, a plunger mounted forreciprocation in the baling chamber, means associated with the balingchamber for grasping portions of the ends of a baling strand extendingaround a bale in the baling chamber in the form of a loop, means forforming a tie in the ends of the strand inwardly of the grasped portionsthereof by forming a bight in the ends of the strand and introducingportions of the ends into the bight, and means for bodil moving thetying means toward the baling chamber during forming of the bight toprovide additional length of strand required for the tying operation.

9. In combination, means forming a baling chamber having a top, abottom, and vertical sides, a plunger mounted for reciprocation in thebalingchamber, means above the baling'chamber and associated therewithfor grasping portions of the ends of a baling strand extending around abale in the baling chamber in the form of a loop, means above the balingchamber for forming a tie in the ends of the strand inwardly of thegrasped portions thereof by forming a bight in the ends of thestrand,'introducing portions of the ends into the bight, and severingthe ends of the strand between the grasped portions and the bight, andmeans for moving the tying means downwardly toward the baling chamberduring forming of the bight 10. In combination, means forming a balingchamber extending in a certain direction and having a top, a'bottom,vertical sides, and a feed opening in one vertical side, a balingplunger mounted in the baling chamber for reciprocation in the saidcertain direction, means associated with the baling chamber for feedingvertically across the baling chamber from the bottom thereof to the topa baling strand extending around a mass to be baled from a grasped endat the top of the baling chamber along the top of the baling chamber,then vertically across the baling chamber, and then along the bottomthereof, means already grasping the grasped end of the baling strand andadapted to grasp a portion of the baling strand fed across the balingchamber by the feeding means, means above the baling chamber andassociated therewith for tying the baling strand inwardly of the graspedportions by forming a bight in the strand, introducing parts of thestrand into the bight, and severing the strand at a point between thebight and the grasped portions, and means for downwardly moving thetying means toward the baling chamber during forming of the bight.

' 11. In combination, means forming a baling chamber extending in acertain direction and having top, bottom, vertical sides, and a feedopening in one vertical side, a plunger mounted in the baling chamberfor reciprocation'in the said certain direction, tying means positionedabove the top of the baling chamber for tying the ends of a strandextending along the top and bottom of the baling chamber in the saidcertain direction and vertically between the top and the bottom of thebaling chamber around a bale in the form of a loop, means mounting thetying means for vertical movement toward and away from the top of thebaling chamber, and means for causing the tying means to move downwardlytoward the top of the baling chamber during a tying operation of thetying means.

12. In combination, mean forming a baling chamber, a plunger mounted forreciprocation in the baling chamber, a knotter frame pivotally -mountedfor substantially vertical movement on said baling chamber, means onsaid frame for grasping portions of the ends of a strand extendingaround a bale in the baling chamber in the form of a loop, means on theframe for forming a tie in the ends of the strand between the graspedportions thereof and the bale, means for moving the frame with thegrasping means and the tieforming means bodily toward and away from thebale, means for successivel causing the grasping means to grasp the saidportionsof the ends of the strands and the tie-forming means to form thetie, and means for moving the frame toward the bale during the formingof the tie to provide substantially uniform tension in the strand duringthe tying operation.

13. In combination, means forming a baling chamber extending in acertain direction and having a top, a bottom, verticalsides, and a feedopening in one vertical side, a baling plunger mounted in the balingchamberf'or reciprocation in the said certain direction, means forfeeding vertically across the baling chamber from the bottom thereof tothe top a baling strand extending around a mass to'be baled fromagraspedend at the top of the baling chamber along the top of the balingchamber, then vertically across the ba-ling chamber, and then along thebottom thereof, means mounting the feeding means on the baling chamber,a knotter frame pivotally mounted at the top of the baling chamber formovement towards and away therefrom, means on said framealready'grasping the grasped end of the baling strand and adapted tograsp a portion of the baling strand fed across the baling chamber bythe feeding means, means on said frame including a rotatable knotterhook 'for tying the baling strand inwardly of the grasped parts thereofby forming a bight inwardly of the grasped portions, introducing intothe bight portions of the baling strand between the grasped portions andthe bight, and severing at a point between the grasped portions and thebight, and means for moving downwardly the knotter frame and the tyingmeans carried thereby toward the baling chamber during forming of thebight.

14. In combination, supporting means, a holder for a mass to be tiedassociated with said supporting means, knot-tying means includingstrandholding and knot-forming means which uses a substantial length ofstrand for tying the ends of a strand extending around the mass in theform of a loop and outwardly from the mass to the tying means, meansmounting the tying means on the supporting means for movement toward andaway from the holder, and means for bodily movingthe tying means towardthe holder simuling means, means for tying the ends of a strandextending around the mass and outwardly therefrom including means forforming a bight in the ends of the strand and introducing portions ofthe ends into the bight, said tying operation using a substantial lengthof strand, means mounting the tying means on the supporting means forbodily movement toward and away from the holder, and means for movingthe tying means toward the holder during forming of the bight by thetying .means thereby making available additional length of strand.

16. In combination, means forming a baling chamber, a plunger mountedfor reciprocation in the baling chamber, tying means for tying a knot atthe ends of a strand extending around a bale in the baling chamber inthe form of a loop and extending therefrom to the tying means said meansutilizing a predetermined length of the strand in the tying operation,means mounting the tying means on the baling chamber for movementtowards and away from the baling chamber, and means for bodily movingthe tying means towards the baling chamber simultaneously with aknot-tying operation of the tying means to make available additionallength of strand while maintaining substantially the same tension in thestrand.

17.. In combination, means forming a baling chamber, a plunger mountedfor reciprocation in the baling chamber, means for grasping portions ofthe ends of a strand extending around a bale in the baling chamber inthe form of a loop and outwardly therefrom to the tying means, means forforming a tie in the ends of the strand between the grasped portionsthereof and the bale said means utilizing a substantial length of strandduring the tying operation, means mounting the grasping means and thetie-forming means on the baiing chamber for joint movement with respectto the bale, means for successively causing the grasping :means to graspthe said portions of the ends of the strands and the tie-forming meansto form the tie, and means-for moving the grasping means and thetie-forming means towards the bale during the forming of the tie to makeavailable an additional length of strand required to form the tie and tothereby maintain substantially uni-form tension in the strand during thetying "operation.

.18. In combination, means forming a baling chamberhaving 'a top, abottom, and vertical sides, a plunger mounted for reciprocation in thebaling chamber, tying means positioned for tying the ends of a strandextending in the form of a loop from the tying means along the top andbottom and between the top and bottom of the baling chamber around 'abale therein, said tying means including knot-forming means utilizing asubstantial length of strand during a tying operation, means mountingthe tying means above the baling chamber for vertical movement towardand away from the top of the baling chamber, and means for "bodilymoving the tying means downwardly toward the top of the baling chambersimultaneously with a tying operation of the tying means thereby makingavailable additional length of strand for the knot-forming operation.

CHARLES F. CRUMB.

